This invention is for the medical field. It has been conceived to address a major nursing difficulty. It is designed to facilitate human waste elimination for the large number of patients who are immobilized. It was invented to alleviate a very desparate need of the clients, nurses, attendants and the caregivers (whether in two-income families or not).
The problem is increasing urgently as cuts are being made in all aspects of care, putting the stress on home care of all sorts.
In order to obtain assistance for every toilet requirement patients ring bells, or call out continuously until the eventual appearance of an attendant with a commode chair or bed pan (notorious uncomfortable and unstable) plus toilet paper, sanitary pads, etc.
This process soon deteriorates into the use of expensive, disposable diapers, especially at night. These are sometimes rationed three per day in some places, not three per hour which could be necessary for some patients.
To avoid this hopeless situation in-dwelling cathaters are used in both men and women as well as nursing difficulties in both inserting and retaining them, these always carry the risk of infection.
The whole deterioration leads to hours of work on intractable bed sores on sacrem, scrotum heels, etc. and is most troublesome to the patient.
This invention consists of a comfortable, attractive, reclining armchair with attachments underneath which can secure it over a functioning toilet of any size, height, shape, etc. The patient accesses the toilet by raising the seat which is hinged across the back. A second seat is thereby revealed with a hole an appropriate size and shape to allow for the actual, standard toilet seat to protrude through. The flush mechanism must be easily accessible.
This equipment may be installed over a toilet in an enlarged, adapted bathroom. Or preferably, a new toilet could be installed in a larger room, with adjacent water and waste plumbing, to provide the patient with a pleasant living area . No new seniors residence should be built without the plumbing arrangements accessible for those requiring this type of equipment.
A. The chairxe2x80x94has soft padded arms, and wings at head level. Attractive, washable slip covers to choice may be obtained and attached with hook and loop.
An distinct detail of this invention is that the inside of the arms are plastic sides which form a curved channel on each side of the seat. This would catch any xe2x80x9caccidentsxe2x80x9d but also catch any pencils, spectacles, etc. which might slip down the sides of the chair.
The patient might wish to simplify their clothing from the waist down to facilitate their use of this equipment.
1 The standard toilet
2 The standard toilet seat
3 Flush tank or cistern
4 Padded back
5 Wings
6 Padded arms
7 Padded seat
8 Hinge for padded seat
9 Valances
10 Plastic liners
11 Hook and loop
12 Plastic liner channel
B. The worktable/trayxe2x80x94This chair requires a worktable/tray with a rail around for the patient to pull themselves up and lean for support. It is attached at one side with a hinge and swings away for easy access. It has a closure on one side of the chair and can be locked into place for security. This is a significant improvement on the current use of makeshift, removablerolling trays which are unstable and provide no support.
13 Tray/Table
14 Surround rail
15 Area for feet
16 Lock
17 Holder for urinal
18 Compartments located above tray/table
19 Compartments located underneath tray/table
20 Hinge for tray/table
21 Water supply with spigot
22 Toilet flush
23 Kleenex
24 Water holder
25 Slots
26 Cut away portion
The work table may be provided with controls or remotes, etc. for radio, tv, audio cassettes, and lights. There would be a space for telephone and water dispenser as well as storage for the urine bottle used by men.
Larger equipment (more suitable for private homes) such as microwave, computer, sewing machine, visual and audio aids could be provided on a role away storage unit. In this way each patient could live safely with the use of his equipment, according to needs and abilities, easily accessible to him and could therefor continue to live as full and active a life as possible.
27 Roll away storage unit
28 Secured storage for microwave
29 Hook up attachment to chair or tray/table
30 Wide base
31 Wheels
32 Slide out ramp with safe edge
Benefits:
As well as vastly alleviating the unpleasantnesses of nursing, it would provide nurses with more time for assisting with any exercise which might be possible. It will also cut down on laundry odour problems, and constant bathing and even the smearing of feces.
Patients alway prefer to remain at home. This equipment would enable the patient to able to manage on their own,safely, at home while family care-givers have to be away e.g. during work hours for the large contingent of lone women supporting both parents and children, though, of course, men are increasingly having to take on these responsibilities as well. This will provide peace of mind for all concerned.
The most important benefit is that of the personal dignity of the patient who can swiftly become exceeding anxious about this most private and necessary of functions, concerned about the access to basic facilities. Particularly, for patients who have a neurogenic bladder who believe they want micturiction every fifteen minutes of so.
The benefits are for all concerned providing the solution to the anxiety, depression and commotion.